Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Roster cut season is upon which means that there will be actual football that matters within a matter of days!
For the St. Louis Rams, their paring down to the final 53-man crew that will take the field Week 1 began early as they sent 19 guys packing. Here they are in alphabetical order.
Andre Martin, CB
Austin Davis, QB
Cody Davis, S
Darren Woodard, CB
D.J. Young, OT
Drew Thomas, CB
Emory Blake, WR
Eric Stevens, FB
Garrett Goebel, DT
Josh Hull, LB
Justin Veltung, WR
Mason Brodine, DE
Nick Johnson, WR
Philip Lutzenkirchen, TE
Rashard Hall, S
R.J. Washington, DE
Sammy Brown, DE
Ty Nsekhe, OT
Zach Potter, TE
There are a few noteworthy names within this group beginning with linebacker Josh Hull who has seen playing time as a starter in recent years. Although underwhelming in his efforts, Hull provided some solid depth to the linebacking corps. The addition of Alec Ogletree in April’s NFL Draft hinted that his days may be numbered, and the signing of Will Witherspoon all but cemented his status as a roster cut casualty earlier in the offseason.
As discussed following the final preseason game, the performance of Kellen Clemens basically cemented his status as Sam Bradford’s backup under center. And as a result, Austin Davis was released by the team in this recent paring. Davis has the tools to be successful, but his accuracy continues to be erratic. He’s definitely a worthwhile project, but the Rams were never figured to carry three quarterbacks.
Other positions gained some clarity in their depth charts as the wide receivers were trimmed down to the expected five guys and the tight end spot was narrowed to three. Emory Blake, Nick Johnson, and Justin Veltung were all facing uphill battles to make the roster after the Rams spent two early draft choices on wideouts this spring. As for tight end, the addition of Jared Cook in free agency made that position race even more difficult with Philip Lutzenkirchen and Zach Potter having little to no chance to make the roster.
Now the waiting game will play itself out as the Rams prepare to scour the waiver wire for potential veteran help. The safety position sticks out as the most in need of an addition or two to help bolster the competition and make things interesting. The lone veteran presence, Matt Giordano has been injured and unable to contribute much thus far so the team has to be unsure about its depth there.
Time will tell just what the final 53-man version will look like for the Rams as Saturday’s 6 p.m. ET deadline looms large. There’s no doubt the roster continue to evolve after Saturday’s cuts, and hopefully the Rams find the best 53 by the time Week 1 arrives.
Anthony Blake is a Senior Writer/Copy Editor for Rant Sports. You Can Follow Him on Twitter, on Facebook, or add him to your network on Google.
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